A Revolution, Brought To You In Color

All video displays derive their colors from the three video "primary" colors: red, green and blue. By combining these in different amounts, engineers can theoretically reproduce every other visible hue. But there are limitations. Today's plasmas and yesterday's cathoderay tube televisions, for example, make red, green and blue phosphors glow at just the right brightness to create specific colors, but even the best of these TVs can reproduce no more than about half the color spectrum visible by the human eye. Put simply, the red, green and blue just aren't red, green or blue enough to do justice to real life. Likewise, the red, green and blue filters used to create color from "white" light in most LCD flat-panels are even more limited than a plasma's phosphors in reproducing the full range of color. Enter laser—an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. That's a pretty technical term, but practically speaking, laser light differs from ordinary light in some remarkable and beneficial ways. Unlike broad-spectrum white light that illuminates our world, laser light can be generated to reproduce only a very narrow bandwidth of the visible spectrum — far more narrow than you'd get from using phosphors or by filtering white light to produce the red, green and blue primaries. The result, shown in the Spectrum Comparison below, is much purer, brighter, primary colors from which to generate all the remaining colors.

Spectrum Comparison

This, in turn, translates to a wider range of colors, as shown in the Color Gamut Comparison. The colored portion of this chart represents all visible colors, while the triangles show the limits of the red, green and blue reproduction of current plasma and LCD TVs versus the Mitsubishi LaserVue. The area inside the LaserVue triangle is approximately twice that of the LCD and nearly twice that of the plasma. This allows LaserVue to fully reproduce bold colors such as crimson red, deep purple and neon green. Trueblue skies, the lush greenery of forests, the golden glow of sunsets and the cyan tones of the tropical sea are all reproduced with a striking richness and realism that can't be matched by other display technologies.

Color Gamut Comparison

1. As measured by hdguru.com on Mitsubishi model L65-A90 in "Brilliant" mode.
2. As measured by hdguru.com on Samsung model LN46A860 in "Dynamic" mode.
3. As measured by hdguru.com on Panasonic model TH46PZ850U IN "Vivid" mode.

The Magic Within

Putting the laser to work in an TV was no small engineering feat. Mitsubishi harnessed lasers for each primary color—red, green and blue —eliminating the need for filters and their inherent compromises. The output of the lasers remains consistent and true for the life of the product. Unlike displays that use traditional illumination sources, the uniform and focused nature of laser light means no complex path of optical components is required to gather and align the light output. Instead, fiber optic cables channel the laser outputs to the imager, resulting in a compact, simpler light engine that can be located separately from the laser source. This, combined with the use of advanced optics, results in an amazingly thin depth of about 10 inches for a 65-inch diagonal screen size. In fact, LaserVue's cabinet is so shallow it can be wall-mounted using an optional mounting kit. And its sleek, thin-bezel design allows its large image to practically float in space, achieving an aesthetic that cannot be matched by flat-panel TVs.

True Green

Thanks to the concentrated intensity of its laser beams, LaserVue's picture rivals the brightness of flat panel TV. Yet, it consumes only about one-third the power of similarly sized LCD televisions, and as little as one-quarter the energy of like-sized plasmas. This makes LaserVue the most energy efficient large screen TV ever made. The Operating Energy Consumption chart shows how the 65-inch LaserVue model L65-A90 compares with current LCD and plasma flat-panel TV models. While the flat-panels consume anywhere from 525 watts to as much as 700 watts of power, the LaserVue is rated at just 135 watts. At an average of 8 viewing hours a day for the typical household, the annual operating cost for LaserVue comes to a meager $45. Besides saving you money, LaserVue's energy efficiency contributes to the conservation of natural resources and the reduction of greenhouse gases that cause global warming. With 112 million TV households in the U.S. alone, imagine the environmental impact if each owned a LaserVue TV?

Operating Energy Consumption

Operating Energy Consumption * Operating Power Consumption (in watts) is based upon manufacturer data as published in their respective websites or on the back of their TVs as of 09/19/2008. ** Avg Operating Annual Cost for LaserVue is calculated per the following formula found at the U.S. Dept. of Energy website as of 09/19/2008: Operating Power Consumption x Avg. Hours used per day (8) x 365 days/1,000 watts x Average Cost of Power ($.114 KW/HR). Hours used per day is based on 2007 findings by Nielsen Media Research which found U.S. households consume an average of 8 hours and 14 min per day. For purposes of this calculation, figure has been rounded off to 8 hours. Average Cost of power is based on information provided by Energy Information Administration website as of 09/19/2008.

Ready for 3D?

Besides delivering the most advanced display technology, Mitsubishi futureproofed LaserVue with all the features you'd expect in a state-of-the-art TV, and some you wouldn't. The L65-A90's fast-switching lasers and "Smooth 120" 120 Hz refresh technology establishes a viewing platform that's tailor-made for 3D video*. And while more 3D programming continues to emerge from Hollywood, Mitsubishi's recently announced relationship with NVIDIA® Corporation and Aspen Media Products™, LLC will soon provide the first turnkey 3D solution for home television viewers. The True Dimension 3D system will turn any Windows Vista® PC equipped with one of NVIDIA's sophisticated graphics cards into a true 3D image source. Gamers will be able to don 3D glasses and enjoy an engaging visual experience unlike any other. Unrivaled color and picture performance. Sleek, compact design. Earth-friendly energy efficiency. Futureready features. That's LaserVue. Experience it at a retailer near you, and escape the bounds of flat-panel television.

* 3D video, gaming and dual-screen features require compatible 3D source devices, 3D glasses and IR emitters.In order to display 3D images, Mitsubishi Home Theater DLP® TVs and LaserVue™ TVs require source devices to support checkerboard display formats for display of 3D gaming or 3D cinema content. A 3D standard format does not currently exist for Blu-ray™ or DVD prepackaged media. A 3D standard may emerge that is not compatible with Mitsubishi Home Theater DLP® TVs or LaserVue™ TVs. NVIDIA is a registered trademark of NVIDIA Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. Aspen Media Products is a trademark of Aspen Media Products, LLC. Windows Vista is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and other countries.